Malky Mackay says Watford's 3-2 defeat to Burnley is “hard to swallow” after claiming referee Chris Sarginson “made a major mistake” for the Clarets' winner.

Chris Iwelumo handed Burnley the lead after a scrappy start to the contest but Watford fought back to take the lead through goals by Don Cowie and Martin Taylor.

But after Stephen McGinn had missed a couple of opportunities, Ross Wallace made it 2-2 before Sarginson awarded a dubious penalty which Graham Alexander duly converted.

Mackay said: “I am very disappointed. I have spoken to the players and I was pleased with the effort they put in and the courage they showed to put in a performance like that against an experienced team and create the chances we did, go 2-1 up and look as if we are going to go three or four up. To lose with the decision is hard to swallow.”

With less than 15 minutes remaining and the score level, Martin Taylor seemed to outmuscle Jay Rodriguez to come away with the ball as the striker fell to the floor.

However, Sarginson judged Martin Taylor had fouled Rodriguez and the penalty was awarded.

Mackay said: “I have just asked the referee if he was sure and he said 'well if I have made a mistake then I am sorry'.

“I have just seen it and Martin doesn't come from behind, he comes from the side and wins the header and he heads the ball. The guy [Jay Rodriguez] then handles the ball.

“You look at the body language of players, with everyone of my players, it was an incredible reaction when he points to the spot. I think he has made a major mistake tonight.”

“It is something you have to get on with though, there are no hard luck stories,” Mackay continued.

“You keep going and you keep believing in yourself and if they keep playing like that then we will win more than we lose because they played very well today.

“They played well against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night and they played very well against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and created a lot of chances and if we put those chances away then we will win more than we will lose.”

When asked if he was disappointed his side failed to see out the game from a winning position for the second time in a week, Mackay replied: “Yes but what we are more disappointed about is that we didn't go and finish more of the chance because at 2-1 against Palace, we had great chances to kill the game and we had two great chances today at 2-1 and that would have killed the game off.”